Lok Sabha felicitates Saina Nehwal for winning Hong Kong tournament

The Lok Sabha today felicitated ace badminton player Saina Nehwal for winning the Hong Kong Super Series tournament, a move that was facilitated after Opposition members gave a brief break to their agitation for JPC probe into 2G spectrum allocation.

Speaking on behalf of the members, speaker Meira Kumar said Saina had emphatically established herself as one of the best players in the world with her "stupendous performance".

Saina defeated Asian Games winner Shixian Wang of China to win the tournament.

Noting that Saina had won the fourth major international title during this year, Kumar said, "honourable members, I am sure all of you will join me in conveying our heartiest congratulations" to her for the victory yesterday.

"Her achievements are a matter of national pride and source of inspiration for many a budding sportspersons of our country," the Speaker said amid thumping of desks by the members.

On behalf of the House, she conveyed best wishes to the badminton player for all future endeavours.

The House felicitated Saina when it re-assembled for Zero Hour after an hour-long adjournment. The felicitation could take place when the Opposition members gave a break to their slogan-shouting for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the second-generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation.

Pademonium resumed as soon as the felicitation message read out by the Speaker was over, with members of the Opposition rushing to the well.